9

(Fenjaday, cont.)

Irola – Balan Center

Fashi Wolfkin sat close to his screen as he watched hours of surveillance footage from outside the A’mara Complex again. All in vain. He was looking for any unusual movement which might indicate the removal of Derick Aiden from their base. He was sure that the actor would be moved as soon as they got wind of the fact he’d managed to hack into their systems, he would do the same if he was in that situation.

Fashi watched it again… still nothing. He checked another camera, but still nothing. He wished he could see the Complex’s own cameras, but he’d have to still be a part of them (or a much better hacker) to make that work. Suddenly he found it… He swore loudly.

“They looped it!!! This whole time, I’ve been watching a stupid loop!” Fashi’s face grew red with anger. He’d seen the same hour about 8 times, looking for a 5-minute event. Whoever did this was clever. He had no idea when the film producer would have been moved – or to where.

He checked other parts of the city – popular departure points – and still nothing. No loops either.

“How about West Quay?” Belmara asked.

“Good idea,” he said hacking into the city network in order to check the cameras there. He sat down to watch again. West Quay was where most goods and merchandise arrived or departed from.

Belmara brought him his evening meal so he could keep at it. He was just about to give up for the day when he found it. “Another loop,” he concluded. “They left by that port. Now, I just need a list of the ships that sailed from there today.”

“Already done,” Belmara said, showing him the screen.

“Great, only a dozen ships going to almost everywhere on Terrenden! He could be anywhere!”

Irola - Zilan and Iyva’s apartment

Zilan sat in a chair with Iyva sitting in his lap, his arms holding her to him. They listened as events unfolded only a short distance away from their apartment.

“It’s clear that Fashi and Belmara don’t know about the PCS link still sitting in that office,” Zilan said.

“Who are they looking for?” Iyva asked.

“Someone connected to the holoflicks. Do you know of anyone that the Balan are supposed to hate?”

“I’m not aware of anyone,” Iyva said. “But what about that new film that Derick Aiden has been working on. It’s about the Neví though, not the Balan.”

Zilan nodded. “You’re putting the pieces together well. Derick’s new film ‘Between Friends’ has made him quite a few enemies in the Neví, though the Balan shouldn’t have any reason to be upset with him unless..,” he drifted off to let Iyva fill in the remaining pieces.

Iyva’s eyes grew wide. “So, Fashi and Belmara are… Neví? How many Balan are in the Neví?”

“I wish I knew. Anyway, that’s another reason why we can’t hang around here anymore. It’s also why I never completely submitted to them,” he replied. “I do think we need to keep listening to those two, so we’ll hang onto that PCS link a little longer. We can always send an anonymous message to the A’mara if we need to.”

“Why don’t we just go back to the A’mara ourselves?” Iyva asked.

“Would you trust us again?” he asked.

“No, probably not.”

“That’s my thought as well. Let’s get packing,” Zilan said.

“Do we have to leave already?” Iyva asked.

“Maybe not, but I think we need to start carrying everything we need on us – just in case. Include anything which could be incriminating.”

Iyva worried about their safety.

“By the time I’m done training you, there will be no one you need to fear,” he replied kissing her. “It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue to be careful though.”

Irola - A’mara Complex

The next morning found Yewan sorting and packing. He didn’t have many belongings considering that he’d been on Irola for 20 years, but he definitely had more than he had when he first came from Avicen as a young man. He sighed as he handled possessions, many memories going along with them.

Some of the strongest memories flooded back when he touched the tattered rose cloak.

“Ah, Marosio,” he said quietly. “I will never forget you or the sacrifice you made.”

The nicer, ceremonial cloak had gone to his family in Kasago, but this old day-to-day cloak had been given to him as the young man’s former maqla, and would help keep things from jostling around in the waterproof tote that he was packing.

A second cloak. A dark blue one. He had been proud to complete Ek-ul Forester’s training after the loss of his maqla, Marosio Muran. The worn cloak had been upgraded to a brand new one when he passed his trials. It would line the other tote. He wouldn’t need more than that. As sentimental as he might be, he wasn’t materialistic.

Yewan quickly packed the stuff he wanted, the rest of it going into a donation box. He would put it in the A’mara private lounge so that others could choose from it first.

He wondered briefly about the other hush-hush activity he had seen signs of the previous night, but he knew that if it concerned him, Saraca would tell him. It probably had to do with seeing Derick in the hallway earlier, he figured. He was thankful he still remembered the correct alias for the man. <He would insist on challenging the Neví,> he thought with amusement.

Yewan knew that strange situations were somewhat normal in the A’mara Complex. Many things that one didn’t know if one wasn’t the abári. It was as much of a reason to not be an abári as to be one. He wondered if this was a portent about the position he had accepted. He was very much tempted to tell Saraca to find someone else, but he didn’t have the heart to do that, not after what she’d done for him.

Yewan had been surprised that morning to find two cloaks wrapped up for him – waiting outside his door. One was a ceremonial cloak and the other for day-to-day use. “I realized that you really do need to have both,” Saraca’s handwriting informed on a piece of flyppaper. “Especially as you won’t have a convenient way of getting another one like we do here.”

Yewan Avicent packed the flyppaper along with the ceremonial cloak. He also packed his old, worn cloak as padding. Then, he affixed the new cloak around his collar with the new purple-velvety clasp that Saraca had included. He examined himself in the mirror, admiring the burgundy abári fringe around the hem.

“You look the part, Yewan,” he told himself. “But the true trial is still to come!”

(to be continued… after Building on Promise)

Maps and Guides

continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
continent of Almara (five maps)
countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
characters, pronunciation and glossary

PLEASE CATCH UP!	LINKS TO BUY!
	Birth of the Neví 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle.
	Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who, through the mysterious “Curator,” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva - a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death; Marc’la - a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past; Zukie - an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness; Jenna - an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara; Kami - a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara.
COMING SOON	TO AN EBOOK STORE NEAR YOU!!!
	Brighid's Blood 2006 and 1200 B.T.C.E. Katja and Rachel are so desperate for love that they cast two love spells one night. But the Guardians do not consider spells "fun", but rather as cries for help from the very depths of your soul. Certainly Katja and Rachel could not have possibly imagined where these spells would take them!
	Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. The Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures brought in the previous year has caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví?
	Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance The Neví have infiltrated the Terrenden Freedom Party. Dr. Jarly is on the run and the Curator still dominates the Terrenden stage. Famous actor, Derick Aiden has released his Neví expose film and now the Neví want him dead... In this collection, we meet more interesting women. Kauri - a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; Tirry - an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; Zara - a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; D'zani - who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; Soala - an heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; Moxara - one whose past griefs have locked away her heart. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously.

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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
A verified Goodreads author.
now also on: Whaleshares, WeKu, Bearshares